Pateh Jah, deputy permanent secretary at the Personal Management Office, was yesterday cross-examined at the Special Criminal Court by the defence counsel in the economic crime case involving one Modou Suwa, an ex-official at the Office of the President.
Jah adduced that there was a delay in the completion of the accused person’s program, as a result of his failure to sign the surety bond, which the accused person was supposed to do.
He added that before the payment of the tuition fee and the stipend, the accused informed the office of the PMO after his graduation that he had a delay in his graduation.
Designated as the second prosecution witness, Jah informed the court that it was the PMO which sponsored the accused person to peruse his Master’s degree in development planning.
PW2 under cross-examination told the court that the accused informed the office that through the support of his supervisor he wanted to do another program, but not at the expense of the Gambia government, and asked for the extension of his leave.
He said the office refused his request for the extension of study leave, adding that in February 2011, the accused person wrote to the Office of the President that he was back and wanted to resume duties.
The case continues on 13 August 2012.
It would be recall that the accused, Modou Suwa, was alleged to have some time in 2005 and 2006, while employed at the Office of the President, willfully obtained D793, 960, from the government of The Gambia for the purpose of obtaining Master’s Degree in the United Kingdom, and with the promise to return back to the civil service, and on time, a condition he failed to fulfill and there by caused economy loss to the Government of The Gambia.
